Circle of Lies (Red Ridge Pack) (27 page)

Everyone, including James, moved back from him.

“Get yourself together, boy,” Uncle Raymond told him sternly. “That gun could go off by accident. You don’t want this to go down like that. You want to be in control. Otherwise you’ll lose.”

Peter glanced around, hoping to see his uncle, hoping Ray would tell him what to do. “Where are you, Ray? The mission is all screwed up. I should have figured a way to do this on my own,” he complained.

Everyone looked around. After a moment they seemed to come to a decision, and they moved even farther back. They were eyeing him even more warily.

“Pete, I think we made a mistake here,” James said.

Peter’s face reddened. “I made the mistake. I should have never picked a bunch of drunken cowards to help me kill werewolves.” He continued to talk, getting more hysterical as he did. “All my time, my hard work, all ruined by a bunch of morons. Now I have to kill them all. I have to do it by myself. No one can be trusted to avenge my uncle but me. I won’t rest until every filthy, mangy, no-good, murderous wolf is dead and its body burned to ashes!”

“Peter, you need to get control of yourself, man,” James scolded, but he looked more and more nervous. He kept glancing from the group to Peter to the semiautomatic pistol Peter flailed around, back and forth, back and forth; he clearly didn’t know whom to trust.

“You don’t talk to me, you spineless pig. You deserve everything these animals are going to do to you, and so does that slut daughter of yours,” Peter yelled.

The comment seemed to cause a stir among the crowd, and Teagan’s wolfboy tried to step forward. He was restrained with difficulty. The rest of the crowd started moving forward, closing in on Peter and James. They spread out, forming a semi-circle, and that was when Peter made his decision.

“I vowed to eradicate the entire werewolf population,” he announced, “and that is what I intend to do.”

60.

Teagan

Alli and Paul had been trying their best to keep me distracted from what was taking place outside. I could hear the commotion from where I sat, and I noticed Alli glancing out the window every few minutes. They had cleverly positioned me so that my back was to the scene, and every time I moved to turn, Paul would distract me.

“Teagan, everything is going to be okay. Just let them handle it,” he reassured me for the millionth time.

Before I could respond, Alli did. “Really, it looks like they have it under control.”

Someone outside started ranting. Alli turned again to look out the window. “Don’t move,” she said after a second. “I’ll be right back.”

Her father tried to stop her, but she was out the door before he could do anything. With Paul’s attention diverted, I took the opportunity to peek. What I saw out the window was my father and Peter completely surrounded, and Peter appeared to be freaking out. He waved a longish pistol in the air.

My dad, on the other hand, was standing still as a statue. In the light spilling out of the house and from the back porch, his face seemed drained of all color. There was a gun in his hand as well, but he held it down by his side. From where I sat, I could see his hand trembling.

Paul was headed back to me, but I couldn’t let them hurt my father. No matter how much I hated him in that moment, he was still my dad, and I knew if Peter took one single shot, the group would attack. Cultists or simply angry businessmen, my dad wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

Without hesitation, I took off toward the door. I dodged Paul on my way out, and he shouted my name as I ran down the porch steps. I plowed through the mob, and to my surprise they let me pass. It was only Aiden, who stood at the far end of the crowd, who shouted, “Teagan! What are you doing? Somebody stop her!”

I took a quick look in his direction. He was trying to get to me before I made it to my father; I could tell his intent. I had no plan, myself, no idea what I was going to do when I reached my dad, but I couldn’t stop now. I needed to protect him. I’d beg the group for mercy, convince my dad to leave, something, anything to get him away from this place, these people who all looked so strange and menacing. I couldn’t just stand by and watch my father destroy himself because Peter had convinced him there was such a thing as werewolves. They might not such a thing, but this group was dangerous, and Aiden had some serious explaining to do.

Somehow I beat Aiden to my father, but before I knew what was happening Peter grabbed me, twirled me around so that my back was pressed against his body and held me in a chokehold. He held his gun in one hand, which was now pointed at the crowd, and in the other hand, the one with a forearm wrapped firmly around my neck, was a knife. He threatened, “Nobody move or I will slice her open. I mean it. Stay away from us.”

He tightened his grip, causing me to choke. In a whisper he added, “I won’t hesitate to kill you, but these people are worse. You’re my ticket out of here, so just do what I say and we might make it out alive.”

Aiden froze in his tracks. For a moment he stood stock-still, but when our eyes met he slowly began inching towards me.

Peter realized. Wrapping the arm holding the gun around my body, he positioned his knife against my neck. The blade pricked my skin as he shouted, “I mean it, dog. Stay the hell away from me or she’s dead.”

Rage flashed across Aiden’s face just before…

What?
Before he shifted from the guy I’d fallen in love with to a giant, snarling, growling wolf. Holy mother of God. This couldn’t be happening. Was I hallucinating? Could it be true? He was really a wolf? A fucking
wolf
?

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and apparently Peter couldn’t either. But he seemed more overjoyed than shocked. He whispered, “I knew it!” The words were more to himself than me.

Aiden’s mother darted forward. “Aiden, stop!” But Aiden wasn’t listening—or the wolf that he’d become wasn’t listening. It hunched down low to the ground and inched closer.

His gun was around my waist, so with Aiden only a few feet away, Peter screamed, “James! Shoot that piece of shit!”

I couldn’t see my father’s face, but from the corner of my eye I saw his gun rise. Immediately, all hell broke loose. Aiden’s mom, Alli, Cade, and Marcus shifted in unison. My brain could hardly register what I was seeing: four wolves where before there had been people I knew. Their clothes fell to the ground, torn and ragged. I felt my body swoon and feared I was going to pass out right then and there.

My legs gave out, causing Peter’s knife to cut my skin. Blood trickled down my neck. The wolves had formed a circle around us, and they were snarling, but my father dropped his gun and pleaded, “Peter, let Teagan go. There’s no getting out of this now. She doesn’t need to get hurt too.”

I regained my footing, and the pressure on my neck lightened. I could feel that Peter was shaking as he shouted, “James, you fucking coward, fuck you and your dog-loving whore of a daughter. I should have never trusted you!”

Peter switched his grip around my neck and raised his gun. Without a moment’s hesitation, my dad tried to take advantage of the situation. He lunged for me, but he wasn’t fast enough. Peter shot him point-blank in the head. Dad’s limp body fell to the ground.

I gave a sob of horror, but there was no time for it. Peter didn’t stop. He unloaded the rest of his clip at the wolves surrounding us, but they seemed to dance here and there and remain unharmed. He shrieked, “Get back! I’ll kill you too. I’ll kill you all!”

He’d loosened his chokehold a bit, just enough for me to elbow him in the stomach. He jerked and let go. I threw myself away from him and fell to the ground, and a second later Aiden attacked him from behind.

Aiden’s mother sprang into action next. Rolling out of her way, I crawled over to my dad and gathered his lifeless body in my arms, struggling to breathe as tears poured down my face. He was gone. Dead. My father was dead, and I had no one left in the world. Both my father and mother were gone. I was alone.

I heard screaming behind me, wet noises and tearing. I ignored all of it. With trembling fingers, I closed my father’s eyes. I sat there rocking and crying, not knowing what else to do.

I don’t know how long this lasted before a hand touched my shoulder. “Teagan? I’m so sorry.”

It was a familiar voice, and I turned to see Paul standing over me. Before I realized, I was standing, screaming, “Get the hell away from me! How can I…?” I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t think clearly. I only knew I needed to get the hell out of there. Peter had been a lunatic, but he was right. This was a werewolf pack, and Aiden was one of them. He was a fucking
werewolf
, and now both Peter and my father were dead.

Shocked, crying, and completely freaked out, I scrambled to my feet and took off for my car.

61.

Aiden

I hadn’t even felt the change this time. There was no pain, no warning; it was instant, automatic, and uncontrollable. The moment I saw the knife press down on Teagan’s delicate neck, the need to kill that son of a bitch was too strong to prevent. I thought of nothing else except stopping his pulse with my teeth.

Teagan’s scream for her father broke my heart. A second later, she flinched and tumbled out of Peter’s arms. It was my opportunity, and I took it.

To be honest, I wasn’t really aware of what I was doing until it was over. Suddenly Peter was dead, and Luke was pulling me away from his lifeless body. My mouth was covered in blood.

The first thing I did was look around for Teagan. She needed me right now, and I needed her to know that I would never hurt her. I couldn’t. She was my mate. I couldn’t live without her. I scanned the surroundings but didn’t see her anywhere. I needed to find her. I had to change back. Screw modesty and waiting for someone to pass out towels.

“Where’s Teagan?” I yelled as I returned to human form.

Luke walked over in his boxers and handed me his pants. His face was dark. “Dude, she freaked. She ran to her car and took off.”

My heart fell. I ran up the steps leading to the house, and my mom, dad, Alli, and Cade all looked at me with such pity in their eyes as I passed. They must have seen Teagan take off, too. Was I going to lose her?

I went straight to my room and slammed the door. Grabbing my phone, I dialed Teagan’s number. She didn’t answer.

“Teagan, baby, I am so sorry. I’m sorry about your dad. I’m sorry that I scared you. We need to talk. Please call me. I love you,” I pleaded to her voicemail.

I sat on my bed with my head in my hands. Why the hell was this happening? So much occurred today that could change my life forever. I didn’t know if Teagan could ever forgive me for keeping this secret. I didn’t know if she could ever accept the wolf inside me, either. I needed to get answers…but more than that I wanted to console her. She couldn’t be alone right now.

I threw on a sweatshirt and some other shoes, took my phone and flew back down the stairs. I was going to find her. I was going to make her understand.

Marcus was in the living room, and he grabbed my arm. “Aiden?”

I pulled away and turned to face him. “I don’t have time for a lecture right now. I have to find Teagan.”

Marcus took a deep breath. “Yes, you do. Listen, Aiden, if she really is your mate, as Lily says, then you need to make her understand and accept you.”

“I know that!”

“I don’t think you do. You need to understand what’s at stake. If she doesn’t accept you, if she doesn’t accept all of this…well, Brian will have to step in. Do you know what that means?”

“No, I don’t know,” I snapped. “What will he do?” But I was afraid that I did already know, because my heart was trying to pound its way out of my chest.

“You know what Brian does, Aiden. He will have to make her disappear. He can’t leave with any loose ends. We can’t have humans knowing about us.”

“Loose ends! Teagan is not a fucking loose end. She’s just a girl from my school—and my
mate
. Brian can’t just kill my mate. I won’t let that happen,” I promised.

I waited then for Marcus to tell me they wouldn’t hurt Teagan, that he wouldn’t let Brian do anything stupid. He didn’t.

“If anyone even goes near Teagan,” I growled, “I swear this entire pack will pay.”

My legs were shaking so badly I could barely stand upright. It was suddenly hard to breathe, too. I needed to get out of there before I did something suicidal.

“It will be okay, son,” my dad cut in. His voice was kind. “Go to her and be honest. She’s a strong girl. I think she can handle it. She has a lot of other things to deal with right now, so if you go and explain… Do you want me to drive you?” he asked, obviously worried about my state of mind.

I shook my head. I needed to go alone. And I needed to get to Teagan’s fast.

62.

Teagan

I pulled into my driveway so fast that I had to slam on the brakes not to hit my father’s car. Only then, as I sat staring at his Subaru, did everything fully sink in. I had to fight back the bile that was rising my throat. I focused on taking deep breaths, trying not to lose control.

What the hell was I going to do now? My father was dead. Dead! And my boyfriend really was a werewolf. He had lied to me all this time, and Alli had too. How was I supposed to deal with that? Was I just supposed to accept the fact that werewolves were real? And my dumb ass fell in love with one. My father was dead because of it, and I had no one. He’d tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. And I’d thought my biggest problem was that Aiden was popular.

I had to get out of town. I was almost eighteen, so I supposed I could make it on my own. Somehow, somewhere. I’d been taking care of myself for a long time, anyway. I could do that anywhere.

Taking several deep breaths, I got out of my car and looked around. Suddenly I was paranoid. Something told me I hadn’t seen the last of Aiden’s pack. Would they come for me? Would he? What would I say to him if he did? What would he say? Was I in danger now that I knew the secret of his pack?

Safely inside the house, I turned and locked the door—as if that would keep them out. I dashed to my bedroom and pulled a duffle bag out of my closet, frantically stuffed clothes inside. When nothing else would fit, I hurried over to my bed, lifted up my mattress and grabbed the envelope containing my life savings. Quickly, I pulled out the wad of cash and shoved it into my purse. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get me out of this godforsaken town. I wasn’t sure where I’d go, though.